Why Did Deepika Padukone Make A Hush-Hush Visit To Chittorgarh?

A few days back, when Deepika Padukone was spotted at the Mumbai airport carrying books on the history of Rajasthan, not many could have deciphered what could be the reason behind it. Apparently, she has been reading a number of historical books to gain “some valuable insights” about the history of the place.

Now, HT has learnt that the actor also made a secret visit to Chittorgarh, Rajasthan, a couple of months back in order to “soak in the feel” of the place. “Yes, Deepika had made the trip but she had planned this visit in an extremely hush-hush manner so that no one gets to know about it,” says an insider.

Without any of her team members, Deepika travelled to Chittorgarh on her own and, in fact, walked around a lot of local places and historical sites to get familiar with all the age-old structures and also gather as much information about them as possible.

“Deepika has been doing all of it as she is fully committed to her part as Rani Padmini in her next film, Padmavati, directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali. The actor’s take-away from the visit has been her first-hand experiences that she had while being there,” says the insider.

As history has it, Rani Padmini was brought to Chittorgarh or Chittor by the Rajput ruler Raja Rawal Ratan Singh after marrying her. Hence, the place is of utmost importance to Deepika with regard to her role.

When contacted, Deepika — without mentioning her secret visit — says, “I shot for Padmavati in November and December. There was something extremely magical about it and I hope that the magic continues when I start shooting for the film again.”